Family Ties, Family Lies
by Resident Asian
Summary: Five generations after Ed and Al's, alchemy has been expanded throughout the modern world. When students from a local high school go to Amestris and one of them turns out missing, the secrets behind their family's alchemy will be known. AUish.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This story is kind of a difficult one to explain. Basically, this is a modern day story, taking place basically five generations head of the generation consisting of Ed, Al, Mustang and Hawkeye. So their great-great-great grandparents would be from that time. **

**Yeah, I probably didn't make sense.**

**Anyways, the chapters in here are going to be longer than usual because in the way I wrote it, I wrote it as if I was going to keep it on one document, but since some of you guys wanted to see it on FFN (I asked about it on Tumblr), I decided to post it here.**

**This story does have a plot… and I'm working on starting it right now. **

**Please review! I know that there won't be any of the Golden Age (as I will refer to it and so will the story) generation characters speaking, but there are references and if you can squint, irony behind the characters of today and in the past. **

**Oh, and for the record…**

**Roy and Riza, Ed and Winry, and Al and Mei did get married and have children. **

**Thank you!**

* * *

><p><strong>Preface<strong>

Alchemy—the scientific study of reconstructing, deconstructing and reconstructing elements together in order to create something by the use of a transmutation circles.

Amestris—the country where alchemy was first discovered and widely practiced until the middle of the 1950s when it started to spread across the world and comingle with the advancement of physics.

There have been many great alchemists at the turn of the 19th century. While they had flashy nicknames such as "The Strong Arm Alchemist" or "The Fullmetal Alchemist", they were just normal people who helped to serve their country back when being an alchemist could get you into the military.

They were people like you and me who had the curiosity and knack for this science. They faced their own demons and downfalls, and eventually made a name for themselves.

During the brink of World War II, the living conditions of Amestris started to fall apart. While they were neutral and kept to themselves, many countries such as Germany, Japan and even the US kept on trying to get into Amestris to learn the secrets of alchemy. This caused most of the big names in alchemy to run away or commit suicide or change their names. They all swore to not let their alchemy be used for the war effort—it was used once and gave great results for the home team, but genocide for those on the opposing sides.

After the war, the big names decided to share their own knowledge of alchemy, but kept their specialty to their family members exclusively. Thus, more people became interested with alchemy and paired with physics that was also going on at the same time. The big names all swore to themselves to not let any one not of blood to know about their specialty alchemic abilities.

In this modern day world, alchemists are known for their research and medical discoveries. While some still use it to defend or attack, the trend of that is falling behind. All alchemists know the basic rules of alchemy: do not create gold, do not create humans and follow the laws of equivalent exchange.

They all have different goals—mostly they are to advance their knowledge of the mysterious science.

Though how much is too much? How much will it take to finally get to understand this science? Will we have to sacrifice our friends and our family? Where does this all begin and where does this all end? "Miss Mikimoto," I hear someone call me, "Are you ready to give your testimony."

"Yes," I quietly say, "Let us begin."

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter One<strong>

It's morning just before school beings and just when I'm about to get out of my car, a flashy blue Ford Mustang drives into the stall right next to me, close enough to take out the door of my parents' Hyundai Santa Fe. The windows of the car next to me were tinted black, but I bet the driver inside could easily see me glowering in his or her direction. My twin sister, Aya stepped out of the car and looked over the hood. "Who could that be, Rin?"

The driver got out and from my point of view; I can see the top of his black hair. Okay, narrow it down, Rinna—it could be one of those Asian nerds that don't know how to drive. As he kept on moving, I noticed his pale skin. No, he's one of those Amestrian-Xingese mixes like my sister. Shit, could it be? "What's up Rin-Tin-Tin?" his low voice called to me.

I rolled my eyes, almost ready to break his neck apart, "Would you watch where you're driving, Mustang?" What the irony—his last name is Mustang and he drives a car that is called by its namesake.

He smirked as he came around, sticking his hands in his pocket, "You should watch where you're opening doors, Rin-Tin-Tin."

I went up to him nonchalantly and extended my hand out to slap him right in the face. He was caught off guard, almost falling to the ground. Aya came right behind me to investigate on the damage. "Don't call me that," I gritted my teeth, "Lucas Mustang."

He quickly got up and yelled at me, "Yeah, well if you keep on calling me Lucas instead of Luke, then maybe I would stop calling you Rin-Tin-Tin."

Aya stood between us, as usual, putting both of her hands on our chests to spread us apart. "You two are crazy," she sighed, "its not even 7:30 yet and you two are fighting."

"Stay out of this Ayame!" We both screeched, but then realized what we got ourselves into. Aya hates it when people call her by her first name. The main reason was because of the namesake. Aya isn't as good as an alchemist as the namesake and from what I've heard from Uncle Carter, Aya takes the personality of the original Ayame's twin sister Megumi. There's irony that five generations later there is another set of twins surprised everyone when we were born. Mom believed that she was going to have one daughter, but then when she gave birth two came out. Aya was hiding behind me—as she does today. However, despite the mystery behind how our mother didn't know that there were two, we are the pride of the family just as Ayame and Megumi were back at the turn of the 19th century.

Upon hearing her name, Aya kicked Luke in the balls and almost slapped me if she didn't snap out of that crazed state she gets into when she hears someone call her Ayame. And now you understand why everyone always calls her Aya. Luke stayed on the ground until he really had to move or he would get run over by one of the students. He rose up quickly, walking at least three steps ahead of us into the school building. Keeping his cool demeanor intact, he stuck his hands back into his pocket and fought off the possible surging pain in his groin. I whispered to Aya, "I wonder how many more kicks it will take for him to not have children anymore."

She laughed at my response before Luke turned around and met dark eyes to dark eyes. "Hey, what hour do you have advanced alchemy II again?"

I know what you're thinking. How could there be a second half to advanced alchemy? The standard for all students at West Point High School was for all to take biology or integrated science during our freshman year and then chemistry our sophomore year. Then it started to divide up the masses; you could take the beginning alchemy class or the physics class as a junior and then move on to any of the AP courses for your senior year such as AP Bio, AP Chem, AP Physics, and Advanced Alchemy. The way that most alchemic based families like mine do their science credits are biology freshman year, chemistry sophomore year, take an alchemy class or test out of the beginning alchemy class during the summer of our sophomore year, and then take advanced alchemy I and my senior year will consist of me taking advanced alchemy II.

Advanced alchemy I focus primarily on what you learn in basic alchemy with an extension to all the details. What Advanced Alchemy does not to that the second half of the class does is work on chimeras and bio-alchemy. Sure, we also extend more on the first half of the class, but it's mainly on bio-alchemy and medical situations.

What I'm really excited for this year is the trip to Amestris in the spring. The country still functions, but from what I've heard from my cousins, the land is a mystery to all. They say that their alchemy becomes powerful once they return back to where it all started and the excitement just builds on and on. There are secrets imbedded in the country that vary from person to person. One of the seniors last year, Alexis Corbin told me that the trip was useless. I had to do some research on her family to find that the Corbins are from Irish descent. The people that have the most fun on these trips are Amestrian based families. However, the curious mind always let those who don't have Amestrian descent and some people can find the excitement in the trip.

"Third hour," I grumble low enough to not hear me. By now, we're in the courtyard of the school walking through the groups of freshmen that don't know what to do. "I'm in your class dumbass."

Luke turned around and lets us catch up to him. He started to walk next to us, causing some of the underclassmen to look at us suspiciously. I hated when this happened, but I couldn't get Luke away from me. "I heard Mr. Pauser had to leave the advanced alchemy II class and there's a guy from the Alchemy Institute that's in his place." The Alchemy Institute is an academy outside of town where all the preppy kids go. Not only that, but the AI (as every one refers to it) is one of the main schools across the United States that focuses primarily on alchemic education and research. It's where my dad works as a leading researcher.

I know, I know, I should be going to the AI right? But I made myself go to West Point for a couple of things. One of them was for Aya who surprisingly didn't pass the regulated test for AI when we were fifteen and the other one is a secret. Dad didn't want me to go to West Point either. He saw that I wouldn't fit in well with the girls in my designated class. They were all pretty preppy and only in the AI to learn basic alchemy and because of their fathers to feed them a good education. None of them would be continuing on with alchemy after high school and they wouldn't specialize.

Luke nudged my side, "So, do you think your dad is going to be the teacher, Rin-Tin-Tin—"

"Absolutely not," I immediately told him, "Dad is doing a huge research project on Shadow Alchemy. And if he were to become a teacher, it would be in that—not in bio-alchemy. The family has no understanding of that."

Luke sighed, "Great, now we're going to get some preppy teacher who thinks of us as nothing. Maybe as your senior president—"

"Fat chance, Mustang," I scoffed, turning away from him and heading down the hallways in a different direction. Luke ran for senior class president when he was a junior and won immediately. It wasn't his good looks or his family history of being a person of power that got him the votes it was his whole heartedness. He brought together the sides between the alchemists and the physicists (we're always clashing against each other) and brought the class together. He represents the class well… at least that's what I secretly think. I make the impression that I want to be the class president sometime soon.

* * *

><p>Advanced Alchemy II –<p>

The teacher wasn't in the room when Aya and I both walked in at the same time. The hot shot of the class (surprisingly it's not Luke); Bradley Hartford groaned when we came in. "Shit, these girls are in this class?"

"Shit, you passed baby alchemy?" Aya smirked, walking past him in the front of the class. We took our seats in the back of the room, placing our binders on the desk before I started to draw my transmutation circles on my hands. Tips on how to use alchemy for fighting: draw your transmutation circles on some surface on your hands so that it will be easy to pull out your alchemy against them. Drawing them on the ground drops your guard and makes it easier for the enemy to get you.

We watched as some of our friends like Haley Grand and Lucia Peterson walked in, but we didn't say anything to them. They gave us small smiles and then took their seats closer to Bradley. We both knew that they were all jealous of our skills… I was top of the Advanced Alchemy I class last year and barely pushed a finger to do anything. They all said that I should take physics instead of alchemy, but what would I do with physics if my dream is to become an alchemy researcher like my dad? Luke is the only one who really understands where I'm coming from… even though he has no clear-cut future with his alchemy.

The teacher stood in front of the room and started to call off names. He was about middle aged with curly brown hair and glasses, wearing a nice clean-cut purple shirt with a matching tie underneath a grey cardigan. His pants were black and he looked like he really belonged to the AI. He told us that if we name a nickname, yell it at him so that he can call us that from now on. "Ayame Mikimoto."

"Aya please!" my sister shouted.

"Rinna Mikimoto."

"Present." He looked up at the two of us. He gawked. I could tell by his expression that he didn't know which one was which.

"Okay, are you two twins?"

"Yes," we replied in unison.

He sighed, combing his fingers through his hair. "Tell me how I could tell you two apart."

We exchanged glances before Luke scoffed, "Other than their alchemic skill, if you call Rinna 'Rin-Tin-Tin', she gets mad at you. The same goes for Aya if you call her by her real name. Though, it's a lot more brutal." We both glowered at him, just wishing to cut his throat open.

The teacher ignored Luke—thank god—and looked at us. I cleared my throat; "There really is no way until you get used to it. I'm sorry sir." Unlike the original Mikimoto twins, Aya's hair isn't brown. Our hair is naturally straight (with the exception of today where Aya curled her hair) and black. Our face shapes are the same and the eye expressions. Our facial expressions at some times can be different, but can be mistaken as similar. Our body sizes are the same. The only thing that tells us apart is our personalities. Not to disgrace our great-great-grandmother and aunt, but from what I've researched, it was easy to tell them apart. Some alchemic accident happened with Megumi and it turned her hair brown. The history doesn't allow me to get into further details into it… to my dismay. As the teacher kept on reading the list, there was this boy who walked into the class room wearing a red sweater jacket and had short blonde hair.

While the teacher was practically glowering at the late kid, Aya whispered into my ear, "That's Professor Wilfred Curtis, isn't it?"

My eyes widened. The renounced Curtis family… The name was familiar because Izumi Curtis back when all these last names weren't important was the alchemy teacher for Amestris' biggest alchemists: Edward and Alphonse Elric. The Curtis family is always involved with alchemy and teaching in it, but it surprised me when they didn't start the AI in the middle of the 1950s. No, I will get into that topic later, but just so you remember: the Curtis family didn't start the AI, instead they teach.

Wilfred Curtis is a mentor to my father. The two talk every now and then to exchange notes, but Wilfred always acts so stuck up around him like he knows everything. It annoys us when he's around with my father since we've driven past the address where Prof. Curtis lives and seen his living conditions. It made sense to me that day in that class why Prof. Curtis was taking this job. Not only was West Point going to pay him, but also so was the AI. He has both of those jobs. And in this damn economy, he really does need it.

I felt remorseful for the professor. He wasn't used to kids walking into class late or being so loud in the hallways. The AI, like I've said, is filled with snotty rich kids that either want to be alchemists or attend because it's the best school in Vermont. So, as you would expect, the students are all pretty respectful people (to the teachers, not themselves I know) and come in on time. There is never any problem with truancies or rule breaking that happens at West Point.

The kid gingerly pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket, handing it to Prof. Curtis, "Sorry, I got lost."

Prof. Curtis sighed, looking at the piece of paper, "its fine. I got lost here as well today. What's your name?"

"Nick Elric?" He turned around slowly. Aya punched me in the shoulder while my ears perked up. An Elric? You've gotta be kidding me! His family is immerged in alchemy! His roots trace all the way back to Amestris and even Xerxes, one of the ancient civilizations of this world that started alchemy and alkahestry! I watched him as he casually took a seat behind Cam Fuery.

Prof. Curtis introduced himself as one of the leading teachers at the Alchemist Institute. He started to talk a little bit about his background with some of it going back to his roots in Amestris, which always makes me happy. Unlike the teacher before, he is going to treat us like college students and pick our own seats and what not. He is only going to help us learn more about the science and treat us as if we're going to major in this science. I know for a fact that Aya and I are, but Luke? We still didn't know and half the class was probably going to stop learning after high school.

He also specified that we do some research on our family names to see if there was anything pointing to Amestris and a specialized alchemic ability. He turned to the board, "Now I want you guys to shout out family names and their specialized alchemic abilities."

Cole Lawford blurted off, "Armstrong, Strong-Arm alchemy."

Prof. Curtis turned back to the room after he wrote the name on the whiteboard. "Now does any one know what specific alchemic ability it is? Right now, the way you're referring it is a code name based off the Strong Arm Alchemist back in the early 1900s."

I let Aya answer this question since she does know, "It's a form of alchemy that reconstructs, deconstructs and constructs rocks into formations such as spikes and statues." She shuddered, remembering the picture that was in the history book of an Armstrong standing in front of a tall statue that was in his image. Armstrongs were not only known for alchemy, but for random sparkling.

"Good," he stated, turning back to the board and writing some more. "Rinna, your family is pretty immersed in alchemy."

I folded my arms across my chest. This was easy. "The Mikimoto family: shadow and dark alchemy."

"What's the difference between them?" I knew he knew all of this information since he works with Dad. Dad is focusing solely on shadow alchemy as dark alchemy has reached its limit. Ayame figured it out before she got to pass on the traits. It wasn't until one of Grandpa's siblings found out about dark alchemy.

"Shadow alchemy focuses on the shadow that a person has, creating things of unimaginable power such as blades that can cut through steel and hover boards that can fly silently through the night. Dark alchemy is about blinding and the absence of light."

I saw Luke turn in his chair and whisper nerd at me. Good thing Prof. Curtis was looking away since I flipped the bird right at him. "There's one more."

"What?" I whispered, looking at Aya with a confused face. There has never been another trait. Dad didn't tell us—the history books didn't tell us!

He sighed, putting his marker in his pocket, "its light alchemy, using it to blind and counteract the dark alchemy. It was developed by Ayame Mikimoto's half brother Tatsuya, but it hasn't been passed down or known to the world until his notes appeared in a warehouse in Amestris. You should really brush up on those facts, Rinna." The class laughed at me. They knew that if there was anything about Amestris and the family roots, they could consult me. I knew it all. And I had to. I had to remember the family roots… even if they weren't my own. "All right, let's keep on going…" he looked at the roster, "Luke Mustang. Your family should have something in it."

He was sitting in his seat, slouching with his arms across his chest. He shook his head. Prof. Curtis's eyebrow rose, "What do you mean there isn't?"

"There isn't any special ability that my family has," he stated, "It's just a family that once ruled Amestris according to Rin-Tin-Tin." Oh, I wish I could kick his ass… "But that's what legacy it gave itself up to."

Prof. Curtis looked at him with a surprised look. "Are you serious?" Luke nodded, "Well, I could see why. The Mustang family is associated with flame alchemy. However, there has only been one. Some how, who ever was the flame alchemist didn't pass on the traits to the next generation unlike the other families. Keep on going." We decided to play this game for thirty minutes. I wasn't taking notes since I already knew so much about the Amestrian based families. "Besides alchemy, what do all of these families have in common?"

"The Amestrian roots?" Luke asked.

"Yes, that and…"

"Secrets that must not be told," another added.

Prof. Curtis went back to the board and started to draw it like a web diagram. He put Amestris and alchemy in the middle and connected the families. Then he started to dashed arrows to each family that was related to one another. For instance, because Ayame Mikimoto was a subordinate and a comrade to Roy Mustang and Edward Elric, there were arrows pointing to those families from each family. Luke doesn't notice this, as I can tell, and draws it without fully understanding the point. I noticed that Nick was a little bit concerned about that part of the drawing, but kept on drawing it like Luke. "And maybe for those of you who are the fifth or sixth generation of these families," he tapped the board, "you'll find the secrets in Amestris. Which brings us to our next point," he segued his way into talking about the trip to Amestris and started to hand out papers. "Tomorrow, I want you guys to come up with a way to use your alchemy for defense, meaning that you cannot resort to drawing your transmutation circles. They need to be drawn on to something that can be activated such as a glove or a piece of clothing that you might wear." I had an idea already sculpted in my mind, but that would mean I would have to scrap some metal off of something at home. Mom doesn't like when I do that, but maybe she has an old frying pan for me to use.

"What you see in front of you is the list of the top ten advanced alchemy II students at West Point and their rank according to the state." The State of Vermont and pretty much the entire United States gives out a test every year to all registered alchemists. This test makes sure that we can keep our registration and our rights as alchemists (we get more benefits thanks to the dangerous shit we get ourselves into.) This also ranks who is the best alchemist in the state. There's a huge tie for the best alchemist in the country, so they don't judge that. The ranks are all divided by age so that Amestrian born naturalized citizens who still live today can still outsmart everyone in their age group and not get upstaged by a seventeen year old at the AI. The test is similar to the original State Alchemist board test in Amestris with a written and then a showcase of what the alchemist has researched or discovered how to do in the last year. "This year's classes at West Point and at the AI are too big to take in one group to Amestris. So, we've decided to only give this opportunity to the top fifteen students from each school based not on their rank in the class, but their rank in the state." My heart dropped. I looked gingerly at Aya. I knew that her grades weren't as perfect as mine were. I had to get her ready to come to Amestris with me. I don't go anywhere without my sister that is within my control. I can control how Aya studies and learns alchemy like a manipulative bastard, but I would know that it was for her own good to come to Amestris with me. I want her to know the experience that I am experiencing.

"However, the state test is only given out every end of the school year, meaning that it is somewhat unfair. We're still going to use your rank in the class and average you out. So, those who really want to go… make it an effort and a reward," he had a twinkle in his eye when he saying that. It scared me quite a bit since Prof. Curtis can be intimidating and downright a creep.

Right now, the state standing for the senior class alchemists are John Paul Armstrong from the AI (who is an absolute babe if I could point that out,) me from West Point, and then a couple people in between me and Aya with Luke Mustang somewhere fitting in that mix. I knew that in the class, I was one, Aya was two and Luke was three. However, Luke and Aya tend to duel it out for the number two and number three seats. I feel that Aya should always stay at two since she's already going to become an alchemist. Luke doesn't show any interest in it whatsoever… but that may be because he doesn't know his family's specialty.

"Ranks so far are number one, Rinna Mikimoto. Number two…" his eyes widened. This surprised him by a long shot! "Nick Elric." I was amazed at that feat that the newbie was able to surpass not only my sister who was created in my image but also Luke. I could tell why he was number two; he's an Elric. His family is so submerged into alchemy that almost everyone is an alchemist and does something with it. Edward Elric, the founding father of their alchemic background, was a great alchemist back in the turn of the century and very famous. The name Fullmetal Alchemist is synonymous with every living alchemist. The Elric family is that big of a deal. "Number three is Luke Mustang." He smirked at Aya, mouthing Ayame and then she tried to throw her pencil case at his head, "number four, Ayame Mikimoto." It's just weird to know that the girl who was named after one of the greatest alchemists in the 1900s is number four and an Elric beat her in her rank. He kept on naming them down until he reached fifteen. And then, he continued on.

"You will all find out if you are worthy of this trip by the end of the month. We're going to have one big test in the upcoming weeks that combines the history of Amestris along with questions that can be found on your state ranking tests and their State Alchemist test. I wish you all luck. There will be upsets, I will promise you that." The bell rang and immediately, everyone started to file back into the hallway.

I wasn't too concerned about the big test that could make it or break it for all of us. I mean, Aya and I have been taking practice state ranking tests for years thanks to Dad (because the AI takes them all the time and he sneaks those out for us to use.) And if the state ranking tests are the same as their State Alchemist certification tests, then it won't be too hard. Along with that, Aya and I often quiz each other on Amestrian history and know more than what the textbook has told us. We have a secret weapon.

My family is pretty rich I have to say. We're rich enough to send Aya, Xavier (our little brother) and I to any college in the United States and the Amestrian State University in Central City. The money is old—Ayame Mikimoto's husband was a renowned alkahestric doctor in Amestris, which at the time, there had been none before him. He gained a lot of money and it just added to the fact that Ayame was a State Alchemist and was paid a lot for her rank (she reached Brigadier General before her death) and her status. Avery was the only child, so they didn't spend a lot of money. I remember reading a diary from one of them saying that they bought a car and a new house when her superior officer Roy Mustang became the leader of the country, and they moved to Central. Avery wrote a diary on the finances of the Mikimoto family, stating that it wasn't a problem thanks to the benefits after his mother's death and the money they saved. It eventually got all six children to a healthy life. Then the money started to grow and grow once the family started investing and researching. Right now, we're living off the money Dad has made as a researcher at the AI. It's a hell load of money.

We live on a huge estate outside of town. Our next-door neighbor is about half a block away. I don't usually parade my riches (mainly because I'm not like that) and so when people come to my house they're astounded by the sheer beauty and mass of the place. I don't know how many square feet the house is, but it's huge. We have a basement that holds a movie theatre and a two-lane bowling alley. The backyard has a pool and a basketball court for Xavier. There are 5 bedrooms not counting my parents' suite. Bathrooms… six, I guess. The kitchen is first class.

And you're still wondering why I go to West Point.

Along with that, you're still wondering what our secret weapon is.

In our house, we have a library. It's where all of our family's documents and notes are on our alchemy. Not only that, but it holds all the books that our family just wants to store in there, so I bet you can find a diary from Ayame that talks about how she felt after Megumi got married or something or another. There are cookbooks and storybooks scatted around the place. It's a nice place to study with cherry wood bookshelves that climb up the walls and one of those cool ladder things that you can ride around the whole room on it just like Xavier does when Dad isn't home.

See, these diaries are unfiltered and they tell more history than the history books. There's a huge black dot in Amestrian History in the early 1900s. It's a conflict known as the Ishvallan Civil War and the country isn't proud that it happened. Because of it, many things happened in the 1910s. The country going to be sacrificed for the rulers of the country back then and it started off with that civil war to create bloodshed. The day known as the Promised Day where most of the Alchemic Families of Amestris got their spotlight. The conspirators were arrested and convicted and they eventually saved the country. After that, the country started to work into better grounds. It turned from a military state into a democracy a couple years later.

There are more things in the diaries that aren't in the history books. Like for instance, there's this really funny part about Ayame in there. It involves some of Luke's ancestors, but you know, I'll never tell him because he one doesn't care and two, doesn't know who his great-grandfather is. Anyways, Ayame was a subordinate for Roy Mustang for a long time. His assistant and future wife was Riza Hawkeye and they were childhood best friends for a long time. One of Roy's best friends from the military academy, Maes Hughes kept on insisting that he get a wife for a long time. Hughes never got to see Roy marry Riza because he was murdered during the time the government was trying to sacrifice the country—or in this case, get ready for it.

When Ayame went to Central to become a State Alchemist, she stayed with Hughes and learned about his ambitions. It was there where Ayame strived to get them together and often faced with the fact that they wouldn't tell her. She kept on insisting even past Hughes' death. She wrote diary entries on how she tried to do it and how it failed or how it succeeded.

So, here we are in the library: I'm with my laptop and Aya is with a couple pieces of metal on the "alchemy table" in the middle of the room. The table has been the centerpiece of all our alchemy trial runs for years that it's surprising that it's still standing up. She drew a circle before putting her hands together and touching the circle. A blue light started to form and then it died away. She smiled, picking up the bracelet with three charms shaped like transmutation circles. One of them I could tell was the circle to activate the shadow ability. The other one was for a blinding ability and the last one was for creating the shadow armor would cover her arms and harden. The bracelet was big enough and the charms were long enough for her to slip one in between her palms and activate it, causing her shadow to turn black and move around. "Nice," I smiled at her from my computer.

Aya sighed, "Rin, you don't even have one yet."

"On the contrary," I stated, getting up and facing her. I pulled the necklace out from underneath my shirt collar to reveal the transmutation circle for activating shadows. I put my hands together and touched the circle, causing both of our shadows to solidify and move. We could combine our shadows if we wanted to, but for this exercise, we decided to keep them apart. Xavier walked into the library.

"Cool Rin! Can you show me how to do that?" He exclaimed, setting his books on the table and walking to our shadows.

I laughed, ruffling up his jet black hair, "No way, kiddo. You still need to learn the basics of alchemy and the laws before Dad lets you learn how to control the shadows." I touched the circle pendant, making the shadows a light gray and becoming dormant.

Aya smirked, "Maybe if you can sculpt a figurine for me, then we can show you."

Xavier pouted. I knew he hated those types of alchemy. He just wanted to blow up stuff instead of take this the hard way. But we warned him that we needed to learn the laws and basics of alchemy before diving into the tough stuff. The laws were the most important as our family has disobeyed the laws three times and not necessarily paid for it, but over came it with a painful lesson. "Look Xav," I sighed, "We were both eleven years old when we started learning alchemy. Of course, we were reading the history of our family before that, but still. You will be come as great as us."

He scoffed, "I just want to be number one."

"Everyone wants to be number one," I pulled my little brother into a tight hug. See, in other families, you would have the brothers and sisters fighting with each other. Not in our family. It must have to do with something about Ayame always sticking by her sister no matter what and letting them forget about the pain their brother brought to them. Avery was an only child, but he had a lot of friends growing up and he learned to love them all. Then the big six all got along and now us. "Don't worry. If I become number one in the state or if I'm number one in the graduating class at West Point, then I'll mentor you. Is that a deal, Xav?"

He nodded, taking a step away from me. "Thanks Rin."

"Hey, don't forget that I'm pretty effing awesome, Xav," Aya insisted, sticking a Nutella covered wafer in her mouth. "Luke Mustang may be number three at West Point, but he doesn't specialize."

My smile disappeared. You know how I keep on saying that Luke Mustang doesn't specialize? I always feel bad when ever I heard that or tell people that. He's a great alchemist and comes from a great alchemic family, but the true reason behind it is so vague and unknown. Not even Ayame's journals or Avery's journals say why the Mustang family doesn't allow their family members to specialize. I mean, I don't know when the family stopped doing that, but I had to assume that it was sometime close to when Roy became famous.

Luke has told me why he couldn't specialize.

His words were cold.

"I can't. My parents won't tell me."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

**Aya Mikimoto**

My sister would be so proud of me to know that I'm a friend with another big name in alchemy. From the day he entered our school and the classroom, I could tell that she was interested in him in some way. I wasn't sure if it was the same as when ever someone brought up J.P. Armstrong, as he is commonly referred to but in Rinna's case, it always has to be John Paul Armstrong. But anyways, I had a feeling it was just because of the last name.

According to the descriptions of all of Ayame's acquaintances during her life, Edward Elric is described as a short kid who hates it when people refer to him as short. He had an automail arm and leg but regained his arm back by sacrificing his alchemy. I don't get it. Why is Edward Elric or even the Elric family considered to be one of the alchemy-based families of Amestris when he gave up his alchemy sometime in his life? Rinna has a feeling that she knows the answer, but you know, just to save time for myself, I don't ask her. Ed, as he was known, was the youngest State Alchemist in Amestris—becoming certified at age 12. Ayame follows right behind him at sixteen, but no body knew about this until she was about 24 years old because Ayame lied about her age when she first took the test so she would be 18 years old.

The most common heredity traits belonging to the Mikimoto and Mustang families were black eyes and black hair. Even if Riza Hawkeye had blonde hair and brown eyes, the black eyes and black hair trait was dominant and it has been for the last five generations. And both of them are the same because both families were brought up in Xing, an old country that is now a part of China or Tibet (I can't remember still, but ask Rinna when you get a chance,) and eventually they moved on to Amestris sometime in their family's lifetime. The most common traits for the Elric family is blonde hair and either blue or golden eyes. Yeah, I could hear a lot of Twilight jokes associated with the golden eyes, but I bet the Elric family does really well to kill those jokes.

Nick Elric and I had Prob and Stats during the same time. I knew for a fact that Rinna had Spanish during this time and Luke had some gym class with Ryan Hughes. Seeing that Nick didn't have any one to talk to during work time, I decided to sit next to him. "Hey," I smiled, trying to be friendly.

He looked up from his work and smiled back. "You're Rinna right?"

My heart dropped. Nobody has gotten us mixed up in years! It seems obvious now which one is Rinna and which one is Aya. It's all based on personality, but on looks it's easy as well. Rinna's arms are a lot stronger than mine with a better build from her judo and fencing. However… who could really see that? I shook my head, "No. I'm Aya."

"Isn't your real name Ayame, though?" he asked as I held my self from trying to kill him. However, since he didn't know, I decided to forget about it.

I laughed nervously, "Yeah, but I-I don't like being called that."

"Why not?" he questioned, "it's a great name. You're named after the woman who started your family's alchemy. If I was named Edward like my uncle after Edward Elric, then I would be honored to be named that." More Twilight jokes stuck in my head. This family is cursed… or the writer ripped off the Elric family.

"Yeah, but wouldn't you have to… I don't know… live up to that?" I asked him.

"I am pretty much," He kept on working on his homework as I just sat there next to him with my book and notebook open, but half the problems done. "Is that your problem right now?"

I didn't want him to know any big secrets like that. I shook my head, waving my hands in front of me, "No, no. It's just that Aya is a better name. In the language her name was translated to, Ayame means iris, but it can also mean, "kill"." Which is ironic because Ayame was known as the best assassin in Xing before she went to Amestris. I have such great expectations to live up to.

"I hear your sister is known for knowing a lot about your family history," he smiled slyly. "And that of everyone's family history that started off in Amestris."

"Only the alchemic based families," I muttered, "everything else she keeps out of like the Hughes family, actually. It's amazing how many Amestrians live here near West Point and how many of those are alchemic based."

"It's because the conditions are good here," Nick muttered, "There's enough resources for all of the families and their alchemy can work without causing a national problem. For instance, there's a family that I know of that specializes in flame alchemy. If they were to conduct their research and testing in California, then welcome to hell on earth." I laughed at his little joke, "but here, the area isn't as combustible to California. The snow and the rain might tick them off, but I think they could handle it."

"So, do you know a lot about the history?"

He nodded slowly, "I knew for an instant that I was dealing with some big families when Prof. Curtis started to name off the top ten. I just learned that an Armstrong is the top of the state." He rolled his eyes, "However, I didn't know that I could top one Mikimoto twin."

I gritted my teeth. "Well, good luck getting ahead of Rin. She's always testing her alchemy like the batteries of a remote control car."

"I don't plan to get ahead of her, don't worry," Nick looked at me with a smirk on his face, "though it would be nice to practice my alchemy on someone who has already specialized. Do you know if that Mustang kid has already? I can't remember his name…"

"Luke," I answered for him, "And no, he really hasn't."

"Oh, poor kid."

I didn't understand why Nick had said that to me. He had this notion by the way he was talking to me that he knew something about the Mustangs—and in that fact, about almost every family—that Rinna must've looked over a couple of times. I don't want Rinna to lose her cool when something like this happens, so most of the time, I keep it to myself.

After that conversation, we decided that we had lunch together so we were going to hang out. He told me more of his family like for instance he has a sister who is a freshman named Kaitlin. She's going to be an alchemist too, but her understanding of it is difficult and he's wondering if he should tell her that she should take physics her junior year instead of alchemy. He asked me about my family and I told him about Rinna and I being twin sisters and our little brother Xavier. Nick's family moved here from New York City where his dad worked at another AI and now works here. "So wait, why did your family decide to move to this middle of nowhere?"

"It was a better opportunity. He's a researcher for the AI, but we always find ourselves moving to different cities and towns where there is an AI for the better resources. My dad started off in Madison, Wisconsin, and then he headed off to other places around the United States. We were in New York for a while before coming up here. They say that the AI here in Vermont is one of the richest AIs around and the one with the most benefits for researchers." I did hear about that from my dad when he was offered to move somewhere else to a different AI. However, the benefits that he has gotten here and will get in the future are better than what most people believe. Even though the AI here is in a some-what small town (okay, it's in Burlington) the cash flow is huge and the resources are enormous. Dad has multiplied the strength of the shadow alchemy in the last five years just from being here in Vermont.

Just when I was about to say something about it, Rinna and Charlene Rockwell came by. Charlene was this pretty brown haired girl who we often felt sympathy for because half her family focuses on physics and the other is alchemy. Charlene decided to go for physics because if she goes for alchemy, she'll get kicked out of the house. The Rockwells are one of those families who believe that alchemists should be sent to hell or thrown out of society because we worship the devil or do something that's against their morals. Secretly, Charlene hangs out with us, and when her older brother Mark comes in and student teaches at West Point, she goes and hangs out with Melanie Banks and Ashleigh Harmon and their friends who are supposed to have "good morals" and "good judgment." Charlene despises them for being liars, but you know… Charlene is a hypocrite for lying to her parents about hanging out with us alchemists.

Charlene's current boyfriend and the man who doesn't give a flying bat's two cents about if you're a physicist or an alchemist, Manny Martinez came around and sat with us as well. And then all these random people started to show up like Grace Goodens and … Luke Mustang and Ryan Hughes.

Let me go out on a limb here for a moment. You know that one thing about twins never wanting to leave each other's side? Yeah, that's true between Rinna and me but do you know that thing about how best friends never leave each other's side? Yeah, that's what Luke and Ryan do. They've been best friends since junior high and between the two of them, mayhem always occurs. It doesn't matter if it was Luke or Ryan who started it or if Luke used his alchemy to do it, they were always getting themselves into trouble. It was amazing how Luke became president and Ryan was vice president last year. It's still amazing that they both won this year again. I guess the senior class is really going to the dumps… or maybe they're trying to show this world that they can actually care and not goof around. All that I can say about that is good.

When Charlene came with Manny, I could tell that Nick had something for her. But when their hands came into plane sight, he frowned and looked at them. This new kid was starting to like this girl, wasn't he? I smirked, catching Rinna's eye and winking right back. She groaned, rolling her eyes and scooting over so that Manny can find a place to sit.

My sister is pretty. We do look the same, but it is true to say that Rinna is a beautiful person. She is sweet towards any one and kind, no matter what background they came from. She wouldn't be afraid to make a new friend and she wouldn't be afraid to assert her opinions when it came down to it. It's surprising that she doesn't care about boys or any girly desires like that, but there was a moment where I was actually happy she had someone. Too bad it ended before it even began and it left us in an awkward position. She wishes for someone to ask me out next, claiming that it's my time to get some spotlight, but you know… I'm not that interested either. It's my last year at West Point and a relationship is only going to last until we start to hate each other for being gone so much. So there's my philosophy on it. And while there are boys at West Point who just can't wait to get into our pants, I'll wait with my sister.

"Only a couple of more weeks until our spring break," Charlene pointed out. The Rockwells were going to visit their family in South Carolina this year, which Charlene was excited for. She was almost as excited for this trip as Rinna and I were excited for the trip to Amestris.

You're wondering why two girls who are well educated in their knowledge of their family is going to Amestris with the school. I bet you're wondering why we haven't gone before.

See, my family didn't think we needed to go as kids. Amestris today is a democracy compared to the military state that it was when Ayame and most of the major names appeared, but the country is small. I can't really compare it so other countries, but you know that chunk of countries that appeared after World War I? Amestris can be comparable to those countries. To the east of them is Ukraine, to the north of them was Drachma, but now it's modern day southwestern Russia, and to the far off distance is a desert and the country of Kazakhstan. The country is beautiful and mixed up. To the north is the dead of winter, the east is rolling hills and country sides and of course, the desert; the south and west start to form into the plains and there you have Amestris.

Amestris doesn't see a lot of visitors. They mainly see those who are curious about the country and the alchemy. There are a lot of mysteries surrounding the alchemy of Amestris since most alchemists have coded their own research so that the masses can't understand it easily. For example, Ayame's research was coded in diary entries about her and her sister's travels to Amestris and their lives there. It was also coded in her native language of Xingese, but now it's impossible to translate since nobody knows the language.

My parents say that once Rin and I have a big picture knowledge of alchemy, they'll take us to Amestris. Too bad we've applied for the Amestrian State University already. The deadline was days ago, but we got our applications in without a problem. Meanwhile, we were also filling out applications for different colleges all along the Northeastern coast. We were accepted to a couple big names such as NYU and Boston College, but the one that caught us off guard was the Alchemy Institute University in Boston and the one in Washington, D.C. Once again, the AI was after us. They really want us to go to school in their institutes and eventually work for them, but the AI just does not fit us. Rinna can barely stand those who fake who they are to themselves and to society. She can't stand liars and its ironic that Ayame was one of the biggest liars in Amestrian history. It was a good kind of lying however, as it got some good things done for the improvement of Amestris. So there is such thing as good lying!

Charlene sighed, "I wish my parents didn't monitor me so much. They're now looking at what I'm doing online and whom I'm texting to. I can't say all the things I want to say to Manny without wondering if my parents will ridicule me for it."

Some people wonder if what ever Charlene says is just to create attention. It really isn't. Charlene's "former" best friend was Vanessa Austin. Vanessa turned into an alchemist last year and she's really interested into the science. When Vanessa and Charlene were studying together at her house, her parents saw that Vanessa was studying alchemy and trying to teach Charlene the purpose of a transmutation circle. Upon seeing this, they kicked Vanessa out and told her to repent—throwing water at her. Vanessa was deeply infuriated about this, claiming that alchemy was not of the devil's work. Like all who follow what the Rockwell's believe, they say that they are being a false god (which is partially true… I mean, we are creating random things out of scrapped products, but that's recycling) and false gods are works of the devil.

Now those two don't talk any more. I spoke to Vanessa and she said that she just doesn't want to get Charlene in trouble any more. So, when that happened, Charlene went to look for more friends. She thought that my sister and I weren't alchemists, but when she realized that we were actually alchemists, she thought we couldn't be friends. We're keeping in this secret for her. Charlene really needs friends and with at least 50% of West Point's senior class being alchemists or aspiring to become an alchemist, it's kind of a lonely world.

"Can't you ask for some legal action done once you're eighteen?" Monica Hartford asked. "I know the main character in My Sister's Keeper tried to get it."

"It's an emancipation," Ryan Hughes cleaned up his classes. "Do you need a lawyer because I could get my dad to represent you. I'm not an alchemist by a long shot. It's just not in my family's blood."

"And we can probably support you," Rinna added, "If I was in your position, I would try to get out of my crazy family."

"But then again," Luke started to add, "How would you get through college and all that? You need some form of support other than yourself. If you emancipate from your family, then it will be like being kicked out. You won't have any money."

"Shit," Charlene muttered, looking down at her untouched lunch. She smirked, "Why don't you guys create some gold for me then?"

Almost immediately, everyone that will be an alchemist (Luke, Rinna, and myself) said, "We can't create gold. It's against the government rules on Alchemy."

Charlene slumped in her chair, "What else can't you guys make?"

"Humans and follow the rules of equivalent exchange," all three of us answered. They really drill us on those rules when we're about to take the test and when we're in the entry level of alchemy at the high school. Rinna said that it has to do about how all the State Alchemists back in Amestris always broke those rules. There was an ex-State Alchemist who had created gold and ironically, Roy Mustang, Ayame Mikimoto, Megumi Mikimoto, Edward Elric and Alphonse Elric all broke the rule to not create humans. However, put into the argument that Roy, Ayame and Megumi were all forced to create humans (Roy had to do it in order to save his subordinate and future wife's life and the twins had to do it or their brother would kill them.) So in the matter of life and death…

I kind of wanted to ask Prof. Curtis about what happens when someone sees the Truth. Ayame wrote about it in her journal, but she didn't really explain what it was or how it happened. Rinna tried to decode it for anything else, but she couldn't get it either. Maybe I could ask Nick…

Today Prof. Curtis wanted us to see if any of us had specialized yet. This was new for most of us, so the experience was kind of awkward. He wanted us to show an ability that not everyone has seen us do before. Like anyone has seen what all the other alchemists have done!

We stood in the field behind the school, all surrounded by the professor who wanted to show his own abilities. He clapped his hands together, making us believe that there was a transmutation circle on his palms and then proceeded to touch the ground. A large statue made in his image emerged, and he calmly pushed up his wire glasses up his nose. "Now, not every family has a special ability, as we have seen. My family is one of those, even though we are from Amestris." He then continued to make a bowl where he could transfer the slips of paper from his hat into the bowl. He fished around and pulled out a couple of names.

After five names, he pulled out another one, "Aya Mikimoto."

I gulped, taking a step out from the semi circle and stood in front of my classmates. Some of them were standing; others were sitting in the tall grass. I had an idea, but I wasn't sure if Prof. Curtis would allow me to do it. However, it was probably better than what Rinna thought of doing. "Could we use the transmutation circles that we created for quick releases?" I asked. The professor nodded.

I rolled up my sleeves and grabbed the charm with the transmutation circle to activate the shadows. I put it between my palms, pressing them together and activating the circle. Then I touched down to where my shadow would be and the gray shadow turned black, emerging from the ground like octopus tentacles. I switched transmutation circles, activated it and then touched one of the tentacles. It formed into a grass sword with a black blade strong enough to cut through steel. Even though that is true, I haven't done it myself (my father has and so has Rinna.)

I walked a couple feet away from the group with the shadow following me. I then faced them and spun around quickly with the sword, creating a circle of cut grass all around me. The grass cut evenly and I was awarded with applauses. I destroyed the sword with a simple transmutation and then the shadows went back to their dormant state. I walked back to Rinna whispering, "Upstage that."

A couple more people came up and performed their alchemy. Some of them weren't specialized yet, so they created pillars and used pieces of scrap metal in the field to make trinkets and other items. This just proves the point that alchemy isn't always for attack—it can make random objects and be used for defense. One of the boys, Aiden Grayson wanted to demonstrate how to block Rinna from a far. She stood a couple feet away from him and went up to charge him. Aiden used his quick release transmutation circle and created diversions for her along the way. She had to dodge pillars that would rise from the ground, but then she would jump over them or move to the side of them. Rinna is fast, which is probably something that Aiden didn't expect, but so was his alchemy. They were about even and I believe that Aiden was doing this because he wanted an even match. If he asked Jude Matthews to do it, he knew that it wouldn't be even and it would be easy to take him down.

Eventually, Rinna made it to Aiden and pushed him lightly to the ground. In a regular match, I think she would've knocked him senseless. However, this is how it went and so she decided to go easy on him.

"Luke Mustang," Prof. Curtis pointed out. His eyebrows furled and he looked up at him, "Did you specialize yet?"

"No," he muttered, walking to the center of the field where I had created the cleared area. He placed a piece of paper with a transmutation circle drawn on it and then activated. The piece of paper turned into a paper crane and he proceeded to give it to Rinna.

"Can you do anything more impressive than that, Luke?" Prof. Curtis asked.

He nodded as he went back to the spot in the field and pulled out another piece of paper from his pocket. He showed it to us to be a transmutation circle with a couple of triangles and this weird salamander drawing on the bottom. "Where did you get that circle?" Rinna asked.

"I-I just thought about it," he said simply. Luke was nervous; he always gets nervous when we have to do perform our alchemy in front of the students. I think it had to do with him being a Mustang and the alchemy that's hidden in his family. It's like he's pressured to do well in this class even though none of us say anything. Not even Rinna criticizes his alchemy. She does that because she knows that everyone's alchemy is different…

He placed the circle on the ground and activated it. As soon as he activated it, the paper went up in flames and he fell backward, making blowing on his slightly burnt fingers. Rinna looked at him with concern. What happened? It wasn't a rebound was it?

Either way, we had to get rid of the fire that was starting to spread in the field. One of the students, who specialize in earth alchemy, created a dirt ball and threw it on the small fire. Then another student who specializes in water alchemy grabbed the water in the atmosphere and threw it on the dirt pile. Prof. Curtis went to help Luke. "Did you get burnt?"

"Just a little, but it won't be too bad," He stated as he stood up.

Prof. Curtis shook his head, "You should know what your transmutation circles do before you activate them. If we didn't have Leah and Evan here, then we would be dealing with a forest fire." He cleared his throat, "However, that was impressive." I heard his voice get down to a murmur, "I can see the potential for you to become the second Flame alchemist for the Mustang family."

I turned to Rinna, who heard it as well as she was staring at Luke. "The first was…?"

Rinna shook her head, noting to me that she didn't want me to say out loud. "He won't get far with that alchemy. His parents won't allow him or any one else. Not even the first Flame Alchemist. It doesn't matter that he's gone and it's been five generations since then… Luke can't get far."

I sighed, looking at her with an expression that criticized how serious she just became. Another two did their own abilities and then Prof. Curtis pulled out another name. "Rinna Mikimoto! This is going to be interesting."

I wondered why Rinna brought her hoverboard with her to the field, but I was thinking that since it was the last class of the day, she was going to do a couple of tricks out here before heading home. Home was nice to practice cool tricks… if there weren't a lot of trees to surround the house. Here, the only thing she has to worry about it the school building that's at least half a block away from the field.

She stood where I created the clearing, activating her Hoverboard and letting it hover to the right of her. She activated her shadows with the necklace pendant that she created the other day and then she showed the palms of her hands. Rinna has been drawing for a long time, so making transmutation circles was nothing. She draws them by heart and this one, I knew, was a new one that she just created.

Unlike Luke who didn't know what his transmutation circle would do, Rinna clearly knew what would happen. She touched the shadows with her palms and they moved to the right of her, engulfing the board. She got on the now dark board, smiling at us. "Try to watch where I go," the board revved up, and then it took off at amazingly fast speeds. She went around the field twice since the hoverboard would blow air on to the blades of grass and track her movements. Then, when she came back around, she was laying on the board with the shadows on top of her completely to make her look like she was a demon sweeping through the night.

While was doing this, I could hear her board starting to act weird. It kept on powering up and then dying back down. This wasn't good. I think Rin grabbed the wrong board and this one wasn't charged. I had a bad feeling that Xav took this board and didn't charge it long enough after he used it. Dammit, I thought, Rin's going to wipe out.

It finally died and the shadows came off of Rin. She looked around with a panicked face as she was descending quickly. She decided to act fast, activating her shadows to hold her from the board and letting the board crash down below. Everyone thought it was amazing that she was able to keep a cool face in that moment. The shadows eventually brought her down and she went to retrieve her hoverboard. The board wasn't damaged, but she knew that Xavier would have to pay for this later. "Excellent job, Rinna," Prof. Curtis applauded her, "This a lesson to be learned students: unexpected things can happen with your alchemy so always be ready to counter act it."

She came back to me, dropping the board to the side of her. Luke quickly came, "Hey, are you okay?"

"Yeah," she took a deep breath, but then put her head between her knees. She started to take deep breaths and sigh. "Did you bring your water bottle, Aya?"

I nodded, handing it to her. She took a couple deep gulps of water, almost drinking at least half of the contents. I watched her, concerned for what happened. I haven't seen her come out like this after an exercise like this. Usually when we practice our alchemy, it takes us hours for us to be completely exhausted and tired of drawing circles and using the shadows. More alchemists came up to show what they've got while we were making sure that Rinna was okay. "It's just motion sickness, Aya," she started to explain, "I go so fast on that board with the shadows that it hurts my head after words. I was going to do what you did, but I couldn't copy you so I did that." She took another gulp of water.

"What the hell was that?" Luke asked her.

"It's called a Shadow Board. It's my own research that I conducted last year," she explained, "I have to coat the Hoverboard with the shadow and then ride it, after awhile, it will start to get faster and faster until I have to lay face down on the board and have the shadow cover me as a shield so that none of my internal organs get damaged from any impact. It takes a lot of the board's and the alchemist's energy to make it going that fast, which means the board must be fully charged." She glowered at the board, "Xavier didn't charge it when he last used it."

Luke sat by her with the board separating them. "Don't use that technique again—"

"Bullshit, Luke," she muttered, "I'm going to get a newer board for my birthday from my cousin. Maybe that can withstand it better than this one."

We all sat in the grass together as the last person in the class was going to go up. It was Nick Elric. He stood in the clearing with his red hoodie on. I didn't notice it until now but there's a flamel on the back of his hoodie. I heard from Rinna that the flamel is the symbol the represent the Elric family, similar to a coat of arms. Ayame's original transmutation circle to activate the shadows is the symbol for the Mikimoto family, but it has been altered to create elements from the flags of Xing and Amestris and a script M for the family name. Anyways, Nick stood in the clearing.

He clapped his hands together with the same technique as Prof. Curtis and touched the top of his right arm. A blade started to form from something in his arm, causing most of the girls to freak out about it and the boys to watch carefully. I was watching carefully, but Rinna still had her head in between her knees to get rid of the motion sickness. He directed someone to throw something that he can slice at him, and with that, Prof. Curtis threw the core of an apple that he was eating and he sliced it right in the middle. Nick retracted the blade and showed his arms. They were just normal human arms—not automail or prosthetics—and then he showed his hands.

"What? How could you have all of your limbs and perform alchemy without a transmutation circle?" Prof. Curtis' eyes narrowed at the boy, "You performed the ultimate taboo and you're _still _an alchemist?"

Rinna snapped her head up. Like we said at lunch, creating humans was against the rules. If any one were to find out that we did it, then we would have our rights as alchemists stripped from us and we would be banned from being ranked and eventually, banned from entering Amestris. "It's hereditary," was all that Nick stated. "If one person in your family has performed the taboo, then they would've seen Truth and saw the Truth. That knowledge is passed on to each off spring and that's how it has lasted for five generations." He pointed at the Prof. "Your last name, Curtis. Edward Elric's alchemy teacher was named Izumi Curtis. She saw the truth as well.." He pointed at Luke, "On the famous day known as the Promised Day where the military uncovered a plot from the higher ups to sacrifice the entire country, Roy Mustang was forced to do a human transmutation to save Riza Hawkeye. He saw Truth and lost his eyesight. You should be able to transmute things without a circle as well."

Luke retorted, "Who are you to tell me what I can do and can't do? What you're saying is complete bullshit."

"Do you want to fight in the same way that Ed and Roy did back at the turn of the century, Mustang?" Nick grumbled.

"That's enough boys," Prof. Curtis said as he pulled out his pocket watch and checked the time. "Class will be dismissed in two minutes. Head back into the building. Nick Elric, I need a word with you."

Luke stormed away from us with a pissed off face. I stayed by Rinna's side, still wondering if she needed help. She was quiet… and I knew she knew something. "Rin?"

"If what Nick said was true, then we should be able to do the same."

"Huh?" I asked.

We were now inside the building and her voice went down to a hushed whisper. Something about this made me think that she didn't want a lot of people to know about this. "Ayame Mikimoto was forced to do a human transmutation as well, remember? I told you this." I nodded, "In that case, she would've been able to transmute without a circle and the ability would've been passed down."

"But… we're…"

"There's nothing that would change our family tree. Ayame only had one son and that was Avery. If our last names were Fuery, then we would be on Megumi's side of the family and who knows if that will work? She lost her ability to do alchemy according to the diaries. We're Mikimotos, Aya. We're directly related to Ayame and that's why that's your name."

I sighed as I kept on walking through the hallways with my sister. She sighed deeply, "This is the least of our problems." She stopped a couple of feet away from Luke Mustang at his locker with students rushing past us. "Luke has more problems than one."


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

Luke Mustang

See that name that I typed up there on the screen? The name that says Luke Mustang underneath the title of the chapter? Yeah, that name.

The name is famous with a lot of things. For one, he is the first student at West Point High School to become the Junior Class President and Senior Class President successively. No one else has ever done that before, but with my interest for politics and simply, making things better, it's a great honor to still be king.

However, in these last two years, I haven't been the same. All of my friends know me as this go-lucky kid who doesn't have a care in the world. It wasn't until my junior year when I started to see the light and see what changes could be brought into West Point. For example, I brought on a mentoring system for the less fortunate kids in the area. We go around and play with them and keep them out of trouble. The area around West Point High School isn't suburban as in most inner cities, but there are some poor families living here that can't do anything but cope for now until someone helps them. Many organizations help them and we're just one of them. We help them find shelter and food—giving up our time to help others. We spend our own money getting Christmas gifts for the kids and mini-Thanksgiving meals for the families. And yeah, the douche bags at the AI may laugh at us when we do this, but at least we're helping the community. At least we're giving ourselves a chance when it comes to our college applications. At least we have something comparable to the douche bags at the AI.

But there has been this one girl who I've had my eyes on. She's feisty, I'm going to admit, and with someone like her as a vice president, she could really call for some change. Though, politics aren't in her favor. It isn't her family's nature according to her unlike mine where someone in my family had ruled a country for quite some time. She fully believes that because of that, I'm interested in politics and I've become the president for my class for two years. Not only is that true, but our representative in this area my aunt. Now, she may look like a Sarah Palin, but she's nothing when it comes to that Alaskan soccer mom. Aunt Allison is fierce and listens to the people first before she makes her own decision. It's the only reason why she has been in the House for quite some time and why the Mustang family is well off compared to other families. Though, we aren't as well off as the Mikimotos and we're especially not as well off as the Armstrongs.

I asked her out the night of our Junior Prom. Prior to that, I asked her to be my date for prom. I was surprised she said yes. With her social standing and her rank in the class, it makes her susceptible for asks by the football team and the geek squad. But her reasons were simple: she wanted to go to prom with a friend of hers that wouldn't mind the same thing. She didn't mind going with me because she knew me already. We grew up together pretty much until I met Ryan Hughes and she started to move on to more people like her.

I couldn't help but wonder if she liked me back. I knew that I did. She was beautiful. She wore a white dress that was embroidered up on her bodice in red in little swirls and marks. The embroidery went up all the way around her waist and back before it was all covered up by her black curls. She looked like a princess. I haven't seen anyone as beautiful as her in a long time.

When the dance ended, I kissed her and she was a little surprised about that. I was afraid that the worst would come, so awkwardly I started to walk away. She called me out and kissed me again. We started dating.

Now we're no longer together. I still think about her and wonder, but from where I am in this world, I can't be behind her to support her. She's always behind me in some way or it's the other way around and she doesn't turn back.

She has been the kind of person to not regret anything.

So on the first day of school of our senior year, when we first meet for the first time after the break up, I notice how prettier she has gotten. Her hair was cut differently in layers and went past her shoulders to lie on her chest. Her eyes were attentive as usual, with the sign of determination. She had a smile that brightened up everyone including myself. I could find myself staring at her that day as we had our lockers close by this year. However, Ryan jumped in between us and started talking. "So, you're still in that alchemy program aren't you?"

I rolled my eyes, "Yeah."

"I thought you have to specialize in some form of alchemy before you could advance on to the second half of the advanced course," Ryan muttered, grabbing his glasses off of his face and cleaning them with his shirt. "Is that where you've been all last summer?" The truth was that I was trying to find out secrets about my family's alchemy, but I kept on getting in the same position. In order to find it, I needed to know more about my family's history. I got the information about my grandfather and well… Grandpa hasn't been feeling well. He's in the hospital constantly and it's only a matter of time before he croaks. To make matters worse, my grandmother has already passed away. There's this thing with my family where everyone is really devoted to their spouse, so once they're gone, then the widow will wait until he or she can join up with him or her again. I saw it in my grandpa's eyes.

Well, with Grandpa, he doesn't remember much. It's all about the Alzheimer's so I have to keep on retaliating that I'm Luke and not one of Uncle Aiden's kids or one of his friends. There was one day where he referred to me as Ellie, my little sister, which kind of threw me off guard. The sad part is that Grandpa can't remember who his father was. From my own reasoning, his father would be a Mustang since he kept the last name. But he can't remember if he had aunt or an uncle that could help him remember. Dad doesn't know anything about the family past Grandpa.

Though… there is someone that knows.

I feel like this is suicide by asking her.

Flash forward to today where I'm sitting in my AP Calc class with Rinna Mikimoto sitting right in front of me. It was always annoying that Rinna and I had to have last names that began with M and no one else in the class fit between the two letters MI and MU. No Montreal, no Morris… nothing like that. It's Ayame Mikimoto, Rinna Mikimoto and then Luke Mustang. She turned a little in her seat, looking at the notes I had on my desk. This was weird; Rin always takes good notes in class, but why was she looking at mine? She knew that mine really sucked—she has commented on my handwriting when we were in baby alchemy in the summer—and only I could really read my notes.

Ryan threw a piece of paper across the row and it landed on my binder. Rinna glowered at him, knowing that he shouldn't be fooling around in class. He simply shrugs his shoulders and pushes his glasses up his nose. Typical Ryan. "Rinna Mikimoto," the teacher barks as she quickly whips herself to face the front of the class, "Do I need to move you to another seat away from Mr. Mustang?"

She shook her head, "No, it won't be necessary. Sorry." The teacher groaned and kept on lecturing. Sometimes I wonder what would happen if Rinna went to the AI. The family is rich enough to send all three of the kids (Aya, Rin and Xavier) for all twelve years of schooling, but instead Aya and Rin are here at West Point and Xavier goes to an elementary school in town. All three of them are going to be alchemists when they grow up with Xavier going to learn his trade from either Aya or Rin in the future.

However, I've asked this question before to Rinna about the AI. Her father is a researcher there, so there could be some discount in the high tuition. She simply stated, "They're just not my type. And Aya is here." I could tell she had another reason why she wasn't going there, but she was willing to tell me. I also knew that she was lying. Rinna is the top alchemist at West Point. How could the douche bags at AI not be fitting to Rinna's standards when they're all alchemists and at least the top alchemists in the state? Maybe the mysterious John Paul Armstrong intimidates her. I mean, I knew Rinna cracked under pressure and when her status was being risked. It was typical of her. However, when she's fighting or doing judo for the school and her rank is at risk, she doesn't crack. She keeps a cool figure and shuns out the world. It's scary. I've seen her fight.

Ryan's question about me specializing over the summer still haunts me. I haven't specialized and in all reality, I haven't figured out what the Mustang family's specialty alchemy is. I asked Dad, Uncle Aiden and Aunt Allison, but they all told me that they weren't alchemists. I asked Dad about Grandpa if he was an alchemist, but he shook his head. Now I'm sitting around as the only alchemist in the Mustang family. How could this have ever happened if the family was supposed to be one of the famous alchemic families of Amestris? Was it simply just one person that changed it all?

Stupid question, Luke, it was only one person in the Mikimoto family according to Rinna that started her family to become one of the famous alchemic families of Amestris.

In order to learn more about family history in Amestris there was two steps I could take. I could go to the AI and ask one of the historians there, but I knew by just the way I acted and look that the douche bags would stare me down. I could ask Rinna, however. Over our junior high years, Rinna was reading a lot of old books and notebooks constantly. It wasn't until we had a history contest in school about Western Europe that I learned about what she was reading about. She was reading about people in Amestris that were associated with Ayame Mikimoto. She eventually won that contest, and now everyone who is learning to be an alchemist remembers that Rinna knows everything about family relations.

After class, I decided to ask her. "Hey, Rin-Tin-Tin." I watched her cringe as I called her that. She stopped just before leaving class. "I kind of need your help, but I want you to keep this on the down low." I could see from the corner of my eye that Ryan was already smirking and drawing little hearts. I glanced at him as he passed us, laughing at us.

"What is it about?" she asked. We started walking into the hallway and moving towards our lockers.

"Advanced alchemy. I need to find out about my family's specialty alchemy," I muttered to her.

"You don't know that already?" she asked, waving to one of her friends along the way.

"No. I'm the only one that's an alchemist. No one else from my dad's side besides me. My grandpa is on the verge of death, but even without that, he has Alzheimer's and can't remember who his father was."

"So you want me to find out who your grandfather's father was?" she asked, trying to open up her locker.

"Yeah, if you can," I said, nervously but knowing for a fact that she would be able to find out. It's Rinna Mikimoto for god sakes—she knows everything. "I-I mean, if you don't want to—"

"Just come over tonight," she groaned. She slammed her locker shut after getting her books for AP English. "I'll have the family tree set up." She decided to walk away from me, but then she returned saying, "Hey, don't forget Professor Curtis' assignment."

Yeah, if I could specialize in my alchemy then I would be able to draw a good transmutation circle that I could utilize in defense. I could already tell that Rinna had hers set up; it was a necklace for sure. Rinna was always wearing a necklace. When she found out about her family's history, she found the dog tags belonging to her grandfather's father and started to wear those around. After that year, she wore a necklace that was a Chinese or some –ese ending nationality character for the Latin letter R. Aya had one as well, but it originally belonged to Ayame Mikimoto, who passed it on to her son Avery, who passed it on to their daughter Aya and now it's back to another Ayame.

Ryan Hughes found a way to get back to me. "So, did she say yes?"

"What?" I asked with a confused look on my face.

"Did you ask Rinna out?"

I stared at him with the unbelievable feeling that he just asked me that. I punched him in the arm, and he winced like a baby. "Dude!"

"No." I quickly said, "Rin and I are just good friends."

"Uh huh," Ryan smirked, nodding and giving me a look that says "Yeah right Luke." I ignored him as he started to talk on how if Rinna and I started dating, then I would have a really strong supporter. He took a survey on people all across the area to identify people associated with West Point High School and the AI. The top result for West Point was Rinna Mikimoto. Now, she doesn't really dwell on this popularity, but the town knows her pretty well. She's West Point's number one judo and fencing fighter along with the number one alchemist and she was Prom Queen. There's a lot more things that make Rinna popular, but she always forgets them so that it seems like she isn't popular. However… it's amazing how guys are not courting her constantly. There has only been one. "She would make you become a great politician!"

"Like I'm interested in that," I grumbled low enough so that my opponents couldn't hear me. "I like this school government thing, but the big thing is a pain in the ass. I know. My aunt represents this area."

"Didn't Rin say that someone in your family ruled a country for awhile," he asked as he took a bite out of his granola bar. I nodded slowly, but noted that it wasn't Rin who told me. It was someone else in the family… I think it was Aunt Allison because it had to do something with her inspiration to go into political science when she went to college and do something good.

After school, I found Aya standing by the locker, putting her stuff away. "Hey Aya," I called after her. She flinched for a moment, looking for who called her, but when she found that it was just only me, she relaxed and smiled at me.

"Hey Luke, how are you doing?"

I smiled, "I'm doing good. You and your sister won't mind if I actually follow you guys to your house after school, will you? Cuz Rin is supposed to help me find something about my family history."

She nodded, "Yeah, but maybe I should ride with you because the road leading to our house is under repairs so we have to take the long way around. Also, Rin needs to pick up Xav, so." I found it interesting that the Mikimoto family had abbreviated their names so much. Aya, of course, was called that because she hated being called and compared to the original Ayame Mikimoto. Rinna's short name was Rin and everyone adopted that, but she also accepts her full name, and their younger brother Xavier is known as Xav or by his full name. I guess it has to do with everyone calling Ayame "Aya".

So I could tell you all the details about the car ride and the irony behind my last name and my car, but I decided to cut to the chase and head to the Mikimoto estate. The place is huge, okay? There's a gate just to get into the estate and then we have to drive like maybe three street blocks to get to the house. Trees surround the house so stalkers and people who want to rip off Dr. Allan Mikimoto can't see from the street side or the driveway.

Okay, so they're rich, but they're pretty humble. I mean, the car that Ayame drives is a Santa Fe. And it's not even new like the Mustang (Hahaha) that I drive. Though, I have seen the BMW and the Volvo that her parents own. It's slick.

Xavier is already running out the door when I pull into the circle around their house. He's using Rinna's Hoverboard to get around the estate and probably go to his tree house some where in the middle of the forest. A Hoverboard is this board thing that Rinna's cousin gives to her constantly to update the other one that was given prior to this one. It allows people to fly. Her cousin's family is a top researcher for the company and so this board is always given to them. I don't know the exact story of it, but Rinna loves to ride it whenever she can. She could ride it to school… if it was recognized by the city as a legit form of transportation.

As usual, we're in the library where Rinna has pulled out a large text book that covers at least half of the alchemy stricken table in there. I could see her flipping the pages after looking at the diagrams. The diagrams were like branches, and I had a feeling that they were family trees. Without looking up she said, "Luke, what's your grandfather's name?"

"Lawrence," I put my bag on the chair and walked over to the table. There it was. I saw the entire Mustang family sprawled on this book. Rinna was writing a parental tree underneath the name "Maes." I wasn't sure if Maes was a girl's or boy's name, but at least I now know whom my great great grandparent is.

"When was he born and does he has any siblings?"

"He has one, her name is Madison. Grandpa Lawry was born in… 1940 and I think Madison was born in 1942." I watched her write their names down and then continue on one more to my Dad's generation. I fed her information about my family such as birthdates, siblings and real names. I had to give her real names because my dad goes by Tony and his real name is Anthony. The same thing happens to my sister Ellie and me. My real name is Lucas, much to my dismay, and Ellie is screwed for life, as her real name is Eleanor. As she completed that half of the chart, she sighed, looking at the other end.

"What's wrong?"

"I'm missing Elizabeth Hawkeye-Mustang's children," she pointed to the left side of the chart where there was just a girl named Elizabeth Aya Hawkeye (Mustang) written underneath the main bracket. "None of the diaries say anything about her or what happened. I know that for a fact, she got her last name changed from Hawkeye to Mustang when she was seven."

"Why?" I had to ask since she would be my great-great-aunt.

Rinna combed her fingers through her hair, "It's kind of a long story. When she was conceived, your great-great-great grandfather Roy Mustang wasn't married to his future wife Riza Hawkeye. Riza believed that Roy didn't love her and so she had to hide herself and the pregnancy. Ayame Mikimoto assisted in that and that's why Elizabeth's middle name is Aya. Aya is the nickname that Megumi Mikimoto called her sister… and ironically, it's what we call our Aya.

"I don't want to get into any big details, but she got fed up with people not seeing that she was Roy Mustang's child, so she decided to get her last name switched. A lot of people got their last names switched… Ayame Mikimoto's son was known as Avery Mikimoto-Hui until her death and he flipped the order of his last names," she tried to make light of it. "So, does this help at all?"

I started to copy down the information. I was glad that I found this, but wait… who was the alchemist? Rinna looked at me and pointed at the top of the chart, "He was, but for some reason that isn't stated by Ayame, Megumi or Avery, Maes Mustang never learned the alchemy." I stared at the page in front of me, but noticed that by Roy Mustang's name, there was a transmutation circle. That transmutation circle was the same circle that I found in a dream the day before we had that showcase in the field. That transmutation circle burnt my fingers and I could feel the pain coming from it. That transmutation circle…

I knew that when I would get home, I needed to research more on the circle.

"Hey Luke," I turned slightly to see Dr. Mikimoto walking in. Actually, it was Allan Mikimoto, not the mother. Aya has explained to me once or twice before about the irony behind their family. It seems that everyone is either an alchemist or a doctor in the family since Ayame Mikimoto. I usually shrug this little tid bit off—I mean, I'm not that interested in their family history compared to mine. Yes, my stupid family history that is shrouded with secrets that no one will be willing to tell me.

"Hey Dr. Mikimoto," I waved off to him. He was wearing the traditional garb from the AI: a sweater vest, nice shirt and a tie with matching pants. There's this thing around here where you can tell if that person works at the AI because they're always dressed up and look preppy. See, I still don't know why Rinna and the rest of the family go to the AI. I've said it many times before, but they have the riches. Their property has a basketball court and a swimming pool. Why should they even stoop down to going to West Point? The family was always rich; being an alchemist back in the 1900s brought in a lot of money and ironically, her husband was a doctor so they were swimming in riches.

"How are you doing, son," he said, putting a casual arm around my shoulder with a smile on his face.

"I'm doing well, how about you?"

"Just fine." He started walking over to his daughters, giving them big hugs and kisses. He looked down at the alchemy table, staring at the notebook in front of him. "So, you're trying to finish any information that you can get on the families, huh Rin?"

She shook her head, "Luke just wanted to know about his family's alchemy."

Dr. Mikimoto's eyes light up, "Oh, is that so?" He turned to me with a big smile on his face, "Now tell me Luke, are you a Mustang by marriage or by birth?"

"By birth of course," I stated, feeling confused and a little insulted. There was this weird thing going on with my family. Not only would everyone be devoted to his or her spouse, but also barely any one got divorced. There weren't any records of it if we were to look into it. However, my family rarely looks into the records of our family. It seems that we're always on our own. We see our grandparents every now and then, but it won't be long until Grandpa is gone. After that, it will just be my dad's generation and mine. "The name is on my father's side. My mother is a Willis."

I watched Dr. Mikimoto stroll around the library, looking at books and diaries. The whole place is a mash up of different books from different eras. I could see old books covered in a protective film on one shelf and then above it would be some of Rinna and Aya's favorite books such as The Hunger Games and Harry Potter. He started to pull off some of the older books on the shelves and opened them up. He would glance at the contents for a while and then return it or keep it. "That's a hard family line," he sighed, "The family has been associated with yours for years and it's amazing that we're still considered as friends but…" He bit his lip, "half of the family tree starting from the 1830s is missing. Even before that, there were so many deaths where practically only one person was surviving along with some extended family member."

He walked over to the table again, "And we're still missing Elizabeth Hawkeye's family information. We don't know what her last name is or if she got married." His solemn face turned into a short burst of happiness, "However, thanks to you, we have Maes Mustang's family tree."

"What is it with the alchemy that makes it so hard for us to know?" I asked, "Do you for know for a fact that I'm even a part of an alchemy based family?"

"I'm not a historian for sure," Dr. Mikimoto stated, "Just a researcher. But I do know for a fact that it's an alchemy-based family. One of these names was known as the Flame Alchemist. But what happened to this person is unsure. We don't know if he passed on his alchemy or anything."

I sighed deeply, thinking that I have come up on a dead end. Maybe the Mustang family wasn't an alchemy-based family. Maybe one guy just decided to pick up alchemy one day and decided that he didn't like it, so he dropped it right away. I told the Mikimotos that no one else in my immediate family is an alchemist. I am really the only alchemist in the Mustang family. Though, Prof. Curtis' words still haunted me. "I can see potential for you to become the second Flame Alchemist." His words still reminded me that someone else was an alchemist in the family, but there was nothing that pointed to who it was.

I went home after this experience. Dr. Mikimoto asked me if I wanted to stay over for dinner, but I knew the experience would be awkward if I had stayed. I drove home with a copy of the family tree and the transmutation circle in my book bag. Note to self: don't touch the transmutation circle with your bare hands.

The Mustang family could be considered middle class in comparison to the Mikimoto family. We live across town from them with West Point being in the exact middle. Our house isn't as expansive as the Mikimoto's, but it is pretty nice. With someone involved with politics all the time, there's a lot of cash flow coming in. The house is your typical two-story house with enough bedrooms for four people and guests, enough bathrooms, a nice kitchen, living room and basement.

Dad was cooking when I came home. Ellie was sitting at the breakfast bar doing her homework with her legs dangling off the stool. I could tell she was learning about some science from the door leading to the garage, but I would have to get closer to her in order to find out. I dropped off my bag at the door and walked into the kitchen. "Hey," I simply stated.

"Where did you go, Luke?" Dad asked.

"I had to stop over at the Mikimotos—"

"Oh," he said with a smile, "how are they doing?" My dad is good friends with Drs. Mikimoto. He always talks to them and invites them over. However, in most recent events, it's always them inviting us. It's not like any of us mind, but it just feels awkward for me.

"They're all right," I stated, "Rinna is top of the class now."

"She's been working hard to do that," he commented, "I'm surprised she hasn't topped number one in the state yet."

I grumbled, "Yeah, well she has some tough competition for being at number two in the state." Separating Rinna and I in the state listing are a couple douche bags from the AI. I'm number seven in the state and Aya is all the way out into like maybe fifteen for the state listing. How did Aya and Rinna get so far apart?

The senior class level is the most competitive age group in Vermont. In other places, it's other grades and ages for example in New York, it's the freshman in college level that is a lot more competitive since those who go to college in New York are living in New York at the time the test is held and there's a rule where you must take the test where you live—not where your parents live. Most students who are looking into a major in alchemy or an alchemy based occupation transfer from their high school to the AI boarding school outside of town. Thus, once they get into the AI, they undergo a difficult curriculum that is especially designed for the alchemy major. However, you don't have to do that—all schools offer the alchemy science course as a replacement for physics.

So you have this huge group of AI students who are seniors taking the class there and another group of students who don't go to the AI and take the alchemy class offered in their hometown high school. As a result, you get more people from the AI in the top ten and less people from local high schools.

However, this year has been different. In the top ten, there are now two people who aren't in the AI. It's Rinna and me (surprisingly since everyone in the top ten specializes and their family has a specific ability while my family won't tell me.) Now it's easy to understand how Rinna is so far separated from her sister when it comes to state ranks. At school, it's Nick and myself that separate her from her sister.

I have to wonder about Nick's ranking based by the school. I believe it has to do with the fact that he can transmute things without a transmutation circle. That idiot has no right telling me what my alchemic abilities can do. Even though he tops me in the class rank, I feel as if I'm still superior to him.

"What are you learning?" I asked Ellie, sitting next to her and looking at her book.

"Alchemy," she stated. She's eleven, almost the same age as Xavier Mikimoto, and she's supposed to learn the family trait… if the family ever told us. "Could you help me with this, though?" Good thing it's beginning alchemy.

"Yeah, this would go over here," I explained to her, "and you need to balance this equation before you can continue on with the next problem." Actually, now that I'm looking at it, it looks more like chemistry. However, alchemists must know all of the elements on the periodic table and have a background on chemistry. This is normal.

Ellie glowered at the erased up piece of paper in front of her. She shook her head violently, sending her curly black hair back and forth. "God, why the hell is this so hard?"

"Language Elenor," Mom appeared out of nowhere and gave me a quick hug.

Dad sighed, "That's why I'm not an alchemist. Your greatgrandpa Maes wasn't one either."

My eyes widened. I ran to my bag and grabbed the notebook where I drew the family tree. I went back to where Ellie was sitting and showed it to my dad. "Is this the family tree then?" I demanded to know since this would have something to do with the family's secrets.

"It looks right but…" Dad's eyebrows furled, "I haven't heard of those names before," he touched the left half of the page, "I don't remember grandpa saying…"

"Are you doing a family history project, Luke?" Mom asked as she stood next to my dad's side. Let me tell you something about my parents… they were high school sweethearts. Dad was the first generation that was born in the United States after Grandpa Lawry decided to move to the United States in the midst of the war. He brought the money that his family made to the US and he met Grandma Corrine when he went to college to get a Masters degree in history. When I say that the married couples are extremely devoted to each other—I mean it. No one has gotten a recorded divorce or separation in the Mustang family. It's amazing how each one of us could find the perfect person for us and stay with that person forever. I've asked my older cousins if they have ever considered separating from their spouse, but all of them have said no. And they were all telling the truth.

So, my parents really do love each other. They may not show it, but there are feeling inside. "No, I was just looking up information on the family's alchemy."

Mom sighed, "You and your alchemy. I swear, what is it that's making you and your sister interested in that science?" She put a hand on her chest, "I'm not an alchemist and neither is your father."

"Right," I nodded, "but the family is directly related with alchemy."

"But that's what Rinna said to you about it," she argued.

I shook my head, "Aunt Allison said that someone ruled Amestris that was from this family. The last name is known to the country of Amestris; besides being the ruler of Amestris, this person was the last known alchemist in the family history."

"But you have no leads to it."

I looked down at the piece of paper in front of me. "Luke, I know that's your dream, but you have to remember that not all dreams can be fulfilled. Right now your grandfather is dying. Could you please focus on that before you get your head into this alchemy stuff?"

"Can't I balance it out?" Mom and I don't have a really good relation, if you can see. She tries to make it all better with hugs and bribes, but I can't let her do that any more to me. I'm no longer a child like Ellie. She still wants to hold my hand when I walk around the mall and buy me little toys. She doesn't want me to grow up. Dad wants me to, so that's why he bought me the Mustang for my sixteenth birthday last year. She didn't want me to get a job at the mall, but I got one anyways and now I'm in charge of my car now. I'm paying for half of the Amestris trip (Mom would not let me to go Amestris without her paying for at least half.) The only thing that I'm letting them pay for in the future is my college education. Mom is hesitant in letting me go out of state, thinking that I would do all right in Vermont, but all the big names in alchemy and the best schools are out of Vermont. The AI has their colleges and I've applied there. I've applied to many other colleges out of state… and none in Vermont. "The AI and West Point have too many students in the advanced alchemy II class so they're limiting the trip to Amestris to fifteen from each school and only the top fifteen from each school. I need to do well."

"What's your rank honey? Aren't you seventh in the state?"

I nodded, "I'm third. Rinna is first and this dick wad—"

"Lucas," she chided.

"Sorry, this kid named Nick Elric is right ahead of me."

"You shouldn't worry too much, Luke—"

"Mom, everyone is going to try to knock one of us down just to get on that trip!" I complained, "I think Aya Mikimoto, who is fourth, is going to knock me out some time soon. And after that, it will just keep piling on."

"Look, we can go to Amestris together as a family—"

"But I want to go with my friends—"

"Ryan Hughes isn't an alchemist—"

"I want to go with Rinna."

Mom didn't say anything when I gritted that out of my teeth. Dad was already off in his own little corner of the kitchen, cooking the meal silently. Mom knew of my relations with Rinna and everything that had to do with her. She liked her, but she always had this look on her face that made me wonder about my mom's feelings for her. Ellie started to laugh, "You just want to go to Amestris with Rinna so you can tell you how you feel and win her back."

I glowered at my little sister, "That's totally not it, Elz. I could argue the same thing for your little crush on Xavier."

"No!" She screeched at me, trying to hit me with her alchemy notebook.

"Lucas Anthony Mustang," Mom said slowly, "Enough with this. Right now, we have to get through your grandfather's predicament and then we can work on from there."

I looked down at my feet and at my hands. I slowly muttered, "Why do you always assume that he's going to die some time soon? Grandpa's a fighter. He was the one who told me to keep on fighting for what I believe in. I believe that I should be an alchemist," I looked up, "and the secrets to the family's alchemy should be known."

"That's the thing, Luke," Dad said, looking out the kitchen window, "Grandpa was the only one who knew about what happened to it. Now Grandpa doesn't know. He forgot."

"It doesn't mean I should give up."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: any one catch the irony within Luke's family and himself? LOL He's the glutton for irony when I'm writing this. **

**Please review! :) I'm writing chapter four as we speak! **

**And don't worry... I WON'T KILL OFF RYAN HUGHES. **


End file.
